Improvement in folding chairs



C. D. BATMAN.

Folding -Chair Patentd June 8,1875.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE CHARLES D. OATMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT lN FOLDING CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 164,321, dated J une 8,1875; application filed March 13, 1874.

OAsE B.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. OATMAN, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented a new and useful improvement in Folding Chairs;and I do hereby declare the following to be a clear and exactdescription of the nature thereof, sufficient to enable others skilledin the art to which my invention appertains to fully understand, make,and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsmaking part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspectiveview of the device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side viewthereof, in a folded state. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a detachedportion.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

This invention consists in a slotted metallic plate applied to thearm-rests of a folding chair, whereby the guiding and holding screws ofthe back will move freelyin the slot of the plate without binding, andthe part to which said plate is applied, though adapted to be made oflight wood, will be greatly strengthened, there being no cutting of thewood.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a folding chair, consisting ofthe seat B, crosslegs 0, back D, and arm-rests G, which, in generalfeatures, may be of well-known form and construction. H representsmetallic plates, which are slotted in the direction of their lengths,and of form to correspond to the motion described by the arm-rests whenthe chair is being folded. These plates H are connected to the arm-restsG and arranged horizontally thereon, or to the side pieces of the backD, and arranged vertically thereon. Pins J are passed through slots ofthe plates H, and inserted into the back D or arm-rests G, relatively tothe location of the plates H, and thus, by means of the pins J thearm-rests and back are firmly connected, and when the chair is openedsaid back is securely held.

When it is desired to fold the chair the legs 0 are brought together.This permits the back to fall downwardly to the rear, and the ends ofthe arm rests adjacent to the back follow the motions of the back, thepins J moving in the slots of the plates, whereby the parts will becompactly folded, as seen in Fig. 2.

It will be observed that there is no weakening of the arm-rests or backby slots for the insertion and occupation of the pins J, and also thatthe metallic plates H serve to brace and strengthen the arm-rests orback, which may therefore be made of lighter wood than usually.

I am aware that slots have been formed directly in the wood-Work of thearm-rests, and that metal plates have been applied in various ways toarticles of furniture. I am also aware that the side arm and foot-pieceof a reclining-chair have been united by means of a connecting-rod, oneend of which is provided with a thumb-screw which slides in a slottedplate attached to the side arm, so that the chair can be confined at anydesired degree of inclination.

1n the case where the side arms or armrests are slotted, slots in thearm-rests weaken the same, and in the event of warping of the wood thepins that play in the slots bind or move roughly therein; but by myinvention the arm-rests are left solid, and metal slotted plates aresecured thereto, whereby the warping of the wood cannot afl'ect theslots, the pins or screws of the back run smoothly therein, and thearm-rests are not weakened, but, on the contrary, are strengthened bythe metallic plates.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

In a folding chair, having ahinged back, D, and arm-rests G, the slottedmetallic plates H, rigidly secured to said arm-rests and connecting withthe back, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

CHARLES D. OA'IMAN.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDEEsHEIM, G. S. HETHERINGTOIL]

